Fate of the Ice Goddess
by Yunalesca Strife
Summary: A little story of how the Shiva materia came to be.


            Once upon a time, a young girl lived in a village that was located deep into a snowy mountain range.  There were not many people in the village and so everyone knew her.  She was like any other little girl with the way she played in the snow and helped others with their troubles.  But there was something different about her.  She had natural blue hair and she never seemed to get cold like the others.  Everyone knew she was different since the day she was born, but no one spoke of it.  And they let her lead a normal life.

            The little girl soon grew into a young woman and she was just as friendly as she was as a child.  But as she grew older, her skin changed into a light blue color.  The people in the village did not care, for they knew she had a caring heart and a warm soul.  The girl herself also knew she was different.  And one day she proved herself right when a pack of wolves attacked the village.  A voice deep inside her commanded her to protect everyone.  Although she hadn't learned how to fight, she started glowing an icy blue aura.  The air around her hands began to shine a holy light and the voice then whispered to her what she could really do.  She smiled and sent the holy light upon the attacking wolves.  Shards of ice ripped at their fur and most of them ran back into the forest from which they came.  The remaining wolves were frozen in their tracks, turned to ice by the cold air the girl created.

            The people of the village were in awe and they became speechless.  The girl turned to face them, fearing what they would do to her since she was so different in this way.  The people began to cheer and they practically worshipped her, calling her an ice goddess and their savior.  The girl just shook her head and told them that she was still part of them and that she will never be any more.  The people then welcomed her even more.

            From then on, she protected the village from any monsters that came to prey on them.  She easily fought off the largest of enemies and fear in the village was forgotten.  Until one day it all changed.

            It was like any other normal day.  The children played outside and the people went on with their lives.  All of a sudden the children screamed and cried out that another monster has come to kill them.  The children showed the girl where it was and she calmly went, thinking it was just another hungry creature.  She soon came to it and she gasped.  It was a giant wolf-like creature almost identical to the one in the legend that the elders told to the children.

            "Who are you?" she asked.

            "I am Madeen.  I have come here to seek the woman who holds the power I have sensed.  Who are you?"

            "I am Shiva.  The protector of the village you see before you", she replied.  Madeen laughed.

            "I see that.  So you are the one I am looking for."

            Shiva became confused.  "Why would you be looking for me?"

            "Your power is considered to be stolen from the gods.  I have come here to challenge you."  He held out a shining red orb in his clawed hand.  "The victor will be allowed to live free among any planet he or she so pleases.  The loser's soul will be sealed in this materia for eternity and will be forced to obey the holder of it.  Do you accept my challenge?"

            "What if I don't?" she asked.

            "Everything you hold dear shall be destroyed.  And you will be hated among the humans forever."

            Shiva sighed.  "Alright.  I'll fight you.  Just leave the village alone."

            They both assumed their fighting stance.  Shiva was the first to act.  She froze the air around the giant wolf god and he froze into a block of ice.  She thought to herself that this couldn't be that easy.  She walked closer to him and all of a sudden he broke out of the ice, sending sword-like shards in every direction.  One of them caught Shiva in the stomach and she fell crying in pain.  Madeen stood over her.

            "Your power is great, but your skills are of a mere child.  You have been defeated."

            Madeen then created dark beams of light and covered Shiva with them.  The bright red orb glowed and floated over the crying girl.  Madeen looked away from the bright light.  Soon all that was left was the red materia lying in the snow.  Beyond that were the silent people of the village.  Children sobbed while people looked with fearful gazes upon Madeen.  The little girl that helped them so much was gone.

            Madeen picked the orb up and chanted a spell.  The orb disappeared into a flash of light.  He then turned and left the villagers in fear and sorrow.  All that was left was his laughter that echoed through the snowy heights of the surrounding mountains.

            Centuries later, a little girl named Priscilla came upon a shiny red marble in the sand.  She giggled at her discovery and picked it up.

            "Hey Mr. Dolphin!  Look what I found!"  She held the marble up to show her pet.  The dolphin splashed her playfully.  "Hey!  What was that for?" she asked laughing.  

The dolphin jumped high into the air and dove back into the water.  She smiled and waved goodbye to her pet as she turned to walk back home for supper.

~*~

Ok, this is just something I thought of in a matter of minutes.  It took me about a couple of hours to write.  Not too great.  And if anyone did a story like this already, I'm sorry!  I just didn't see any like this yet.  And the ending I just guessed because I don't remember if Priscilla says anything about where she got the materia before she gives it to Cloud.  So I just came up with something.  Don't bother telling me if it's wrong.  Oh well.  I hope you liked it. ^_^


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